EU migrants must be treated “differently” as soon as Britain leaves the EU, Theresa May said yesterday, putting the UK at odds with Brussels for the start of transition negotiations next week.
The prime minister insisted that Brexit supporters “didn’t vote for nothing to change” as she fought back against the EU’s hardening stance.
In the preliminary withdrawal deal struck before Christmas, the EU appeared to agree that the cut-off date after which EU migrants to the UK would no longer be granted permanent residence would be March 29, 2019 — the date that Britain formally leaves the bloc.
But European negotiators are now insisting that the date should be the end of the transitional period in 2020.
During her trade mission to China, Mrs